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Effects of microplastic biofilms on nutrient cycling in simulated freshwater systems
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Polypropylene microplastic biofilms in freshwater microcosms accelerated nitrogen cycling processes including ammonia oxidation and denitrification, and temporarily accumulated phosphorus before releasing it as biofilms matured and broke apart. The results demonstrate that microplastic-associated biofilms actively alter nutrient dynamics in freshwater systems, with potential consequences for water quality.
Microplastic surfaces could be colonized by microorganisms and form biofilms in aquatic ecosystem, which can participate in the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles. In this work, polypropylene squares were deployed in a pond for 30 days for microplastic biofilms colonization and then were transported to indoor microcosms at an environmental relevant level to study their effects on N and P cycling. Results showed that microplastic biofilms could accelerate ammonia and nitrite oxidation as well as denitrification. Presence of microplastic biofilms accumulated P temporarily and increased alkaline phosphatase activities (APA) in the system. Later in the experiment, disintegration of matured biofilms released N and P into the water. Mass balance calculation suggested possible N input caused by biological nitrogen fixation. Our results demonstrated that microplastics associated biofilms have the ability to alter the N and P cycling processes in aquatic system. However, additional works are required to further quantify the extent of such impact.
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Microplastics drive nitrification by enriching functional microorganisms in aquaculture pond waters
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Researchers found that biofilms forming on microplastics in aquaculture pond water — known as the 'plastisphere' — enrich ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, driving increased nitrification rates and altering the nitrogen cycle in ways not seen in surrounding water without microplastics.
Effects of plastisphere on phosphorus availability in freshwater system: Critical roles of polymer type and colonizing habitat
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This study examined how biofilm-covered microplastics of different polymer types affect phosphorus availability in freshwater, finding that polymer type and colonization habitat determined whether plastisphere biofilms acted as phosphorus sources or sinks, with implications for nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems.
Characteristics analysis of plastisphere biofilm and effect of aging products on nitrogen metabolizing flora in microcosm wetlands experiment
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Researchers placed three types of plastic in miniature constructed wetlands for 180 days and tracked how they aged and affected microbial communities. The plastics degraded at different rates, with PVC developing new chemical groups and all surfaces becoming less water-repellent as bacteria colonized them. The plastic surfaces altered nitrogen-processing bacteria in the wetland water, suggesting microplastics can disrupt nutrient cycling in natural wetland ecosystems.
Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments
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Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.
Effects of microplastics on inorganic nitrogen dynamics in surface water sediments under different disturbance intensities
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Laboratory experiments showed that microplastics in sediments alter nitrogen cycling in freshwater systems in ways that depend strongly on concentration: low levels boosted ammonium release, while high levels suppressed it and amplified nitrate consumption. These disruptions to the nitrogen cycle could affect water quality and aquatic productivity, especially in systems that are frequently disturbed by dredging or flooding.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.